CHAPTER SIX (6) GERARD'S POV

     The basement was pitch-black when Gerard awoke the next morning, still holding Frank in his arms. It wasn't until he had turned around and placed a soft kiss on the sleeping boy' forehead, that he heard a cough and noticed the three other people standing in his room.
     "What did you do to him last night?" Mikey asked, smiling as he went to sit on the foot of his brother's bed.
"W- What are you talking about Mike's?" Gerard said, trying his best to sound innocent.
"Oh, I think you know what I'm talking about." The younger Way replied with an evil smirk on his face.
     There was a giggle coming from the door and Gerard looked up, only to notice Max come flying towards him and landing on his bed.
     "Did you fuck him?" The black haired boy asked, full of energy.
"Way to play it cool, Max." Craig called from the doorway, choosing to remain where he was.
"Oh, Babe, you know me. Did you honestly expect me to not come right out and say it." Mikey laughed as Max started to make himself comfortable on the bed.
    "So… Did you?"
"W- Max what kind of a question is that?"
"A very important one, now answer it." He persisted.
"Of course I didn't, I've only known the guy a day."
"Mhm. Now why don't I believe you, Gee?"
"Because you're an awful friend, who refuses to see the truth?  Is that a good enough reason Maxy?"
"It would be," Max answered with a slight grin on his face. "If you weren't still holding him. Mikey, back me up here."
     Mikey laughed. "I hate to be the one to bear the bad news, but I agree with Maxwell here. Gee's in love ." He giggled again.
     Gerard simply stared at his brother and friend. He couldn't have possibly made his feelings for the smaller boy that noticeable; at least not while they had been around. "I don't know what to say. You two honestly think that I would have sex with a guy I just met? I'm not a whore! Craig help me out here."
"Man, you know I would, but I'm really only here for Max." Craig said, trying his hardest not to get dragged in to their conversation.
     "We never said you were a whore, Gee." Max said, hanging his head a little and moving closer to the boy and giving him a hug.
     Gerard did not return the embrace because he didn't want to let go of the sleeping, Frank, but let Max hug him anyway.
"I know Maxy. I'm sorry I freaked out at you, I was just a little surprised that you guys thought Frankie and I were… ya know… doing each other . I mean… why would you think that anyway?"
Max shrugged. "It's okay, I probably deserved it, I can be a dick at times and I'm sorry for that… Really I am. And as for your question… I don't know. You guys just seem so close and you're always checking each other out, when the other isn't looking… then when me came in to wake you guys up and you were holding him…"
"Then you kissed him." Mikey added, clearly still siding with Max.
     "I…" Gerard started but was unsure of how to continue. Mikey and Max knew that something was going on and there was no point in lying to them or trying to cover it up. "I didn't know you saw that."
     "Yeah, well believe me… I kinda wish I hadn't… I mean, I totally understand that you like guys and stuff and I'm cool with that… I'd just never considered you'd like… ya know. And then you kissed him… I just… I didn't know what to think, 'cause, like you're my big brother and Frank's my friend and it's just kind of weird. I mean… don't you think you're moving a bit fast… how much do you really even know about him? I'm happy that you've found someone Gee, honest to god, I am… but just think about that you're doing, okay? I don't want to see you get hurt."
     "Mikey, I'm glad you're okay with me and stuff, but Frankie and I aren't together." Gerard said slowly, not quite sure of how to respond to his little brother.
     "Not now, but you will be." Max said, getting off the bed and heading back over to Craig.
"What are you saying, Max?" Gerard asked, confused.
"It's hard to explain. Sometimes I just get these weird feelings. Like the first time I met Craig, I saw hi and I just kinda knew that I'd be with him one day. It was weird, but I couldn't get him out of my mind. Then… after like a month, I'd broken up with Saskia and he was mine." Max explained as he slung his arms around his boyfriends waist. "And now I have the same feeling about you and Frankie. It'll happen, Gee. I know it."
"Okay, Max that is just plain freaky."
"Tell me about it. But I'm right, aren't I? He's all you think about, since the minute you saw him. And now you can't get your mind off him. I know exactly how you feel; trust me."
"Wow." Gerard giggled. "Who would have thought, Max the Ripper is a love guru."
"Ha, ha, you're funny, Gee. But when it happens- and it will happen- I will be the one laughing, not you my friend."
"Whatever, Max." Gerard said as the small boy in his arms began to wake up.
"You can say 'whatever' as much as you want, but you know it's true."
     "W-what's true?" Frank said, rubbing sleep from his eyes.
     "Way to go, Max. You woke him up." Gerard laughed
Max smile back. "It's just this thought I had, Frankie. Don't worry about it."
"Um… Okay then." Frank replied, feeling slightly confused as he struggled to get out of Gee's grasp.
     "Sorry." The taller boy mumbled, letting go of him.
"Naw… It's okay. I don't really mind that much." He smiled.
     "Okay… well, we're all like… gonna leave… now ," Craig said, trying to pull Max through the door and motioning for Mikey to follow them. "Hey, do you guys wanna come back to the studio with us this afternoon… like, maybe 3 o'clock?"
"Yeah… we'll be there Craig. See ya guys."
     "Remember what I said, Gee." Max said, before closing the door behind him, not giving Gerard a chance to respond.
     "Well, that was… odd." Frank said, standing up and stretching his arms above his head, so that his bare stomach was slightly visible. Gerard noticed this small fact and couldn't help but stare; Frankie was just far too gorgeous for his own good, he thought.
     Frank noticed him staring and smiled. "Like what you see?"
"You have no idea." The taller boy replied, getting off the bed and wrapping his arms around the tattooed boy.
     "So, what were the others in here for anyway?" Frank asked, still confused from earlier.
     Gerard sighed and moved his grip to Frankie's waist. "They; being Mikey and Max, seemed to be under the impression that you and I were… uh…"
"Fucking?" The smaller boy finished for him.
"Yeah." Gerard blushed.
"Why would they think that? I mean… you're not a whore."
Gee smiled. "That's exactly what I said to Max."
     The pair stood there, holding on to each other in a comfortable silence before Gerard spoke again. "Hey Frankie, you wanna go grab a coffee?" He had been thinking about what Mikey had said earlier, about how he hardly knew anything about the boy he loved and was determined to change that. He wanted to know everything there was to know about Frank Iero and he wouldn't rest until he did.
     "Mmmm.  Coffee sounds really good right about now. I'll just go get changed, okay."
"Okay. You can use my bathroom if you like. I'll change in here."
"Are you sure?" Gerard simply nodded and Frank smiled up at him. "You're amazing." He said, kissing his cheek before running to the bathroom, misfits bag full of clothes, in hand.


     Twenty minutes later, Gerard was sitting on his bed, flipping through the pages of an old comic book; he had already changed into a pair of black skinny jeans and black hoodie and done his eyeliner, when Frank finally walked back through the bathroom door. He was also wearing black skin tight jeans, but instead of a hoodie like Gerard, he wore a black 'Green Day' T-shirt that fit his figure perfectly. The boy also had two dark rings around his eyes and red smudge, both contrasting beautifully with his hazel eyes. The taller boy couldn't remove his gaze from the boy in front of him.
     "Come one now, Gee. I'm not that good looking." Frank joked, laughing at the blank expression on his friends face."
"Trust me Frankie… you are."
"Aww, thanks, Gee. You're looking kinda hot there yourself."
     Gerard giggled slightly at the compliment, before putting away his comic and leading Frank back up the hall towards the living area.

     "Guys, Frankie and I are gonna go grab a coffee, okay? We'll probably see you all at the studio later." Gee said, when the pair entered the already crowded living room.
     "Okay then. Have fun guys." Max smiled up at them. That was one of the reasons Gerard loved the guy; he never judged anyone unfairly and always seemed to have a smile on his face. "Have you thought about what I said earlier, Gee?" And that was one of the reasons he couldn't stand him; he also knew how to ruin a moment.
     "No, Maxy I haven't." Gerard sighed.
"Hmm, well there's no point in denying it. Now go have fun. And bring me back a vanilla bean latte, I haven't had one of those in ages."
     "Max, twelve hours doesn't count as ages." Robert scolded from the couch.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Max said, honestly not caring about what his friend had to say. "Just bring me back my coffee, Gee."
"Whatever keeps you happy, Maxy." Gee said from the door, which he was trying to lead Frank through. "Bye, guys."
"See ya, Gee. Love you. Bye, Frankie." Max called out.
"Love you too, Maxy. We'll see you all at three." Gerard said, laughing as he closed the door behind himself.


     A fifteen minute bus ride later, the pair walked into the closest starbucks, fingers entwined with each others, as they made their way to the front counter to order their drinks.
     "Good morning," A tall blonde girl with a pixie cut and spiderbites said. "What can I get for you today?"
"I'll have a vanilla bean latte, thankyou." Gerard answered without too much hesitation.
"Okay, then." The girl smiled. "And for you?" She asked Frank.
"I'll have a regular espresso with a shot of caramel." He smiled back at her.
"Cool. That won't be too long. What was the order under, again?"
     The smaller boy looked up to his friend, who nodded slightly in return.
"Frank." He said.
     "Cool. It's nice to meet you Frank. I'm Stacey, by the way."
"It's nice to meet you, too. Oh, and this is my friend, Gerard."
"Hey Gerard." Stacey beamed.
"Hello." Gee replied, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the current situation. He wasn't used to meeting new people.
     "So... um, I hope you don't mind me asking this, but like... are you two... together?" Stacey asked, a small smile playing at her lips.
"Uh... no" Gerard spoke before Frank could say anything.
"We're just friends." Frankie agreed.
"Oh! Seriously? I just thought... ya know, 'cause you were holding hands and stuff, that you must have been dating. Oh god, I am so sorry."
     "No, don't worry about it." Gee smiled. "We're kinda used to it." He giggled, remembering back to earlier that morning.
"Still... I'm sorry."
"There's no reason to be sorry, Stacey." Frank said with a warm smile.
"O-okay then." Stacey said, handing the two their drinks and a piece of card. "That's my number. You guys seem cool; we should hang out sometime."
"I'd like that." Frank said.
"Me, too." Agreed Gerard, as they waved goodbye and made their way to an empty table in the back corner of the shop.
     As they sat down and drank their coffee, Gerard wondered what he should say to Frankie. He wanted to get to know they guy better; not send him running in the other direction.
     "Hey, Frank," he started, setting down his cup.
"Yeah, Gee?"
"I've been thinking... I don't really know anything about you... like, at all. But I want to."
"What do you want to know?" The smaller boy asked.
" Everything ." Gerard replied.
"Okay then." Frankie said, putting his coffee aside. "My name is Franklin Anthony Thomas Iero Jr. But if you call me that, I promise I will shoot you. I'm sixteen years old this Halloween; hence the tattoo," he said, indicating to the ink on his knuckles. "I'm an only child and live with my mum because my father left when I was seven. He was the one who taught me how to play the guitar;  I've been learning since I was five. Anything else you wanna  know?"
Gerard looked up at his friend. "Why'd you change schools?"
     Frank sighed and turned to face the gorgeous boy in front of him. "I moved schools because it turns out the vast majority of people at Newark High, are against gays; I got beat up almost every day because those stupid, fucking homophobe jocks couldn't accept that I like guys, teachers treated me differently when they found out; failing me in every class, staring at me like I was some sort of disease and the few friends I had there all turned against me, disgusted that they had a fag for a friend.
     I put up with it for two years, until one day I just couldn't take it anymore. I remember running home and crying; I just didn't want to be there anymore. So I went and locked myself in the bathroom, then I found an old razor and took out one of the blades. I remember the feeling of my skin being dragged as I plunged the blade further into my wrists.
     The next thing I remember; I woke up in a hospital bed, three days later. My mum had found me unconscious on the bathroom floor; she thought I was dead. When I was fully awake I explained to her what happened; she was really accepting of me. After I got out of the hospital, she took me out of the school and put the house up for sale. Then we moved here... and I met you."
     Gerard didn't know what to say. He took the smaller boy's hands in his own and laced their fingers together. "Frankie, Babe, when did this all happen?" He asked in a small voice.
"About a month ago." Frank whispered in reply.
     The taller boy was not sure of what to do next, cautiously he turned his friends hand over in his own and sure enough there they were; two scars covering his wrists. They had now faded to a pinkish tone, blending in with his many tattoos. Frank looked away as he examined the self-inflicted damage.
     Gerard placed a soft kiss on both of the scars before letting go of the boy's hands. "I wish... I wish that I was there to stop it. I hope to god that you will never feel that way again. Fuck, Frankie, I wish you'd realise just how special you are, how if you had killed yourself, you would have wasted so much. I never want you to feel that way again, Frankie. It's not fair that the one person that makes me happy has to be miserable."
     "Well, I'm not that miserable." Frank mumbled. "I mean... I have you now and that's enough to make me happy."
     Gerard shook his head slightly. "Just promise me you'll never do that again."
     
     Frank looked the taller boy in the eyes. "I promise I will never do it again. I have no reason to now anyway."
     The taller boy stared at his friend, waiting for him to say something about how he was only saying that to make him feel better, but sincerity was there in his voice; Frank really meant it when he said we would never purposefully harm himself again.
     "Well, now you know everything there is to know about me, I wanna know about you, Gee."
"What do you possibly wanna know, Frankie?"
Frank turned to look at him with a sly smile. " Everything ."
     Gerard giggled. "Okay then. I am Gerard Arthur Way. I turned sixteen on April 9th. I have a younger brother named Mikey who is fifteen. I live at home with him and my parents, although they're very rarely home; they travel around a lot. Umm... I like to draw and am deadly afraid of needles. I also sing a little bit and write music, but I haven't done that since my Grandma died a couple of years ago. She helped me through so much... when I first told my family I was gay and when my parents threatened to disown me, Grandma took me in. She's the one that really got me in to music and art. I miss her so much.
     Hmm... um I'm the school outcast. I get a lot of shit about my sexuality and how I dress, and I don't really get along with most people. I used to get beaten up a lot for it all, but about six months ago I just got so sick of it all and I freaked. I came home from school, halfway through the day, ran to the bathroom and swallowed the whole container of sleeping pills.
     About two hours later Mikey found me, unconscious. He freaked out and took me to the hospital, where I stayed for a few days. Um then, I don't really know... I met and for some reason... I was happy."
     "You know what, Gee?" Frank said, taking his friends hand in his own.
"What, Frankie?"
"I think we're lucky to have each other. It's almost like we're made for the other, ya know, meant to be together... one day ."
"You know what, Babe?"
"What?"
"I know exactly what you mean. I'm so lucky to have you Frankie and I never want you to leave. I want you to say with me... forever."
"Gee... Baby, I'm not going anywhere. I need you just as much as you need me. Believe me."
     Gerard looked up into the loving face of his friend, getting lost in his hazel eyes. At that moment he didn't care what Mikey thought, he didn't care if they were moving too fast, all he cared about was Frankie.
     Leaning across the table he placed a hand softly on the small boy's cheek and pulled him closer until their lips met. The kiss was nothing like the one they had shared the night before. It wasn't fast and there was no tongue, just the soft slow movements of their lips in sync with each others.
     Carefully, he pulled away from the boy, his hand lightly caressing Frank's cheek. "Wanna get out of here?" He whispered to the boy.
" Definitely ." The smaller one replied, already grabbing Gerard's hand and leading him towards the exit.